Flash-lamp.



15;, s. GAYWOOD.

FLASH LAMP.

APPLIGATION FILED 001228, 1907.

Patented Dec.29,1908.

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{ELLERY S. CAYWQOD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FLASH-LAMP.

' App1ication filed October 28, 1907. Serial No. 399,507.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELLERY S. CAYwoon, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Flash-Lamps, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to apparatus or devices adaptedfor use in connection with photography, or wherever it is desired tosecure a bright light by means of flash powder. Its objects are toroduce a simple and convenient form of ash lamp which may be readilyheld in the hand and discharged by means of electricity, but which, ifdesired, may also be used in connection with a stationary support; andalso to provide a convenient cartridge or receptacle for the flashpowder, which may be used repeatedly or which may be used as a temporaryreceptacle and discarded after the charge has been exploded; and suchother advantagesas will appear from the following description.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 represents a front view of a preferred form of embodiment of myinvention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the method of connectingthe cartridge with the support; Fig. 3 is a detail view showing theclips for holding the igniter wire and also for connecting the cartridgewith the support; and Fig. 4

is an enlarged detail of one of said clips.

As shown in the drawings, 6 represents a cartridge or receptacle,preferably of substantially'V-shape in cross-section and of any desiredlength, which is adapted to receive the flash powder; this cartridge maybe made of any suitable material but referably of paper, insulatingfiber, or the ike. The particular sha e of the cartridge serves to givethe desire spread to the flame and, furthermore,'insures the propercontact or proximity of the powder to the igniter wire which is arrangedat the bottom of the receptacle. This receptacle may be used without anycover, the powder being spread or distributed therein at the time it isto be ignited; but I prefer to load the cartridges with the powder andthen cover the top with a piece of paper or light material, as indicatedat 7. In this way, the powder may be sold in the cartridges, which arealways ready for operation.

In order to discharge the powder'or ignite the same, I provide acombined electric igniter and holder which will now be described. Flatwires or clips 8--8 are arranged adjacent to each other in the sides ofthe cartridge 6. While the shape of these clips may be varied, I preferto make them substantially as shown in Fig. 4. The elongated foldedportion 9 lies against one of the walls of the cartridge or receptacle6, and the two prongs 10 and'll pass out through the side of the wall,one of said prongs, 10, being folded back against the outer side of thewall and down and around the bottom of the receptacle, thereby holdingthe clip or metal strip firmly in position and also strengthening thereceptacle 6. At the lowermost end of the folded portion 9 is insertedan igniter wire 12 which consists of a small wire which will be of suchhigh resistance that it will glow or fuse under the action of anelectric current. The ends of the wire 12 are pinched in between thefolds of the metal strip so that a good contact'is provided andsoldering or other means of fastening is dispensed with. It will benoted that this igniter wire 12, being at the bottom of the receptacle,insures the ignition of the powder which naturally settles or gathers atthe bottom of said receptacle. In order to prevent short-circuitingbetween the portions of the metallic strips by any powder which mightcollect between these strips above the wire 12, such powder being insome instances a fairly good conductor, the strips may be lacquered, orpainted, or may be covered by means of a strip of paper, as indicated at13, in Fig. 3, this paper being merely pasted over the strips so as toleave only the bottom ends and the wire 12 exposed. Suchshort-circuiting should be prevented, as otherwise the wire 12 might notsecure a sufficient amount of current for fusing or for igniting thepowder. However, when a strong current or a current of high voltage isto be used, I separate these strips or clips, as indicated by dottedlines in Fig. 3, a sufficient distance so that there will be no arcingbetween said clips after the wire 12 has been fused.

In order to support the cartridge and to furnish electricity fordischarging the same,

I provide -a block or holder 14 of insulating material, having a groove15 in the top corresponding with the shape of the bottom of thereceptacle 6. Two metallic rods 16 extend through said block 14 and areslotted at the upper ends to receive the prongs 11 of the two strips 88.When these prongs are inserted in the ends of the rods 16 and the bottomof the receptacle 6 engages with the groovein the top of the block la,the reee taele will be firmly held in position and a good electricalcontact furnished between the clips and the rods. These rods may be ofany desired length and may be held apart by means of insulating blocksor separators 17 and are adapted to make connection with an electricbattery, such as indicated at 18, this battery may be arranged in aholder in any well known way and the circuit opened and closed by meansof a switch 19 on the side of the holder.

In order to make the device convenient for carrying, I prefer to makethe connecting rods between the holder 18 and the receptacle 6 insections, as indicated in Fig. 1; that is, the ends of the rods 1616engage with sockets 20 at the ends of corresponding rods 2121, and theserods in turn engage with the sockets 2223 in the end of the batteryholder 18, the arrangement being such that one of said sockets is inconnection with the positive side of the battery, and the other socketin connection with the negative side, or so connected that the circuitfrom the battery through the rods and the igniter wire 12 may be closedby means of the switch 19.

It will readily be seen that this arrangement forms a light andconvenient device for photographic purposes, and one which may be packedin a small space and then readily connected, so that it can be held inthe hand with Y the cartridge at any desired height above the head, orother position, depending upon the length of the rods 16 and 21 or thenumber of sections used. When the switch 19 is closed this will closethe circuit from the battery through the rods and clips to the igniterwire 12 which becomes heated or fused and ignites the powder in thecartridge; the igniting powder in the cartridge will burst or burn awaythe cover 7, so that this cover does not need to be removed.

Having thus described my invention, which I do not wish to limit to theprecise form of construction shown, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In combination, an electric battery holder, rods detachably connectedwith said holder and insulated from each other, a cartridge holdersecured to the ends of said rods, a powder cartridge adapted to engagewith said cartridge holder, an igniting wire in said I cartridge andmeans for connecting said cartridge with said cartridge holder, saidmeans also providing for electric connection between said rods and theigniting wire in said cartridge.

2. The combination with a powder eartridge, of metallic strips engagingwith said cartridge and adapted. to still'en or reinforce the same, saidstrips also furnishing means for connecting an igniting wire, and meansfor fastening said cartridge in a suitable holder.

3. The combination. with :11 powder cartridge, of pronged metallicstrips folded to engage with one side of said wartridge, said stripshaving one prong extending out through the side of said cartridge andbent down and around the bottom of the same and a second prong alsoextending out through the side of said cartridge and serving as afastening device for said :artridgc, and an igniting wire securedbetween the folded port-ions or said strips lying within said cartridge.

4. The combination with a powder cartridge of substantially v-shape incross-seetion, of folded metallic strips engaging with one side oi saidcartridge, said strips being provided with prongs extending out throughthe side of said cartridge, two of said prongs serving to engage with,and reinforce the cartridge and the other two pron s serving to connectthe cartridge with a suitable support, an igniting wire pinched betweenvthe folded portions of said strips, and means for coverin or insulatingthe exposed portions of said strips *ithin said cartridge.

5. A holder for a flash powder cartridge, comprising a groovedinsulating block, rods connected with said block, said rods beingslotted for receiving contacts of removable cartridges, and separatorsfor holding said rods sul'liciently apart to prevent contact between thesame.

6. In a flash lamp, the combination of an elongated cartridge forilashpowder, an igniting wire arranged in the central bottom por tion of saidcartridge, an electric battery, solid rods arranged adjacent to eachother and connecting between said battery and said cartridge, means forholding said rods apart and insulating them from each other, and meansfor making connection between said rods and said cartridge forsupporting said cartridge and also making electrical connection withsaid igniting wire, said rods i'urnishing a portion of the electriccircuit from the battery to said igniting wire.

ELLERY S. CAYWOOD.

IVitnesscs A. W. FnNsTEnNAKEn, CARL M. CRAWFORD.

